The Most Confusing Riddle
by therealjainasolo
Summary: AU. Being conceived from a love potion makes you unable to love anyone. But, I don't want my father to love me. Would you, if your father was Voldemort? I'm not evil, but I'm not the best friend ever. I just want to keep Harry and the others safe. That is the only reason I'm doing this. The only reason I have ever done anything. I have to kill Dumbledore. DracoxOC


I sit at the dining table, frowning at the wooden surface. How I wish I don't have to be here, how I wish I could be sat in the Burrow, surrounded by the ever loving Weasleys and shovelling down Molly's delicious food. But I'm not. I'm stuck here, at home, or what I have called home for the past four years. Malfoy Manor. I'm used to the chill of the dining room, but it always seems to increase when he's here. He barely ever is, but when he turns up, you know it is to do with something important. To be honest, I'm quite surprised that I was summoned; normally I wait in my room until the meeting is over. But not today. Something important is going to happen. And that very thought makes my blood run cold. Nagini slithers the length of the table, and I am the only one who shivers slightly as she passes. Maybe it's because I know what she is saying. My Lord, the time isss ssso very near. Sssso very near…

I really don't want to know what "the time" is, and I can tell that he doesn't want me to hear this, as he glares at the snake, telling her with his serpentine eyes to shut up. If snakes could smirk, I'm sure that she would have a large one plastered on her face. I sit up straighter, trying not to fiddle with my bracelet; my only connection to my missing mother. Avoiding eye contact with anyone, I glance around the table. All the usual suspects are here; Dolohov, Yaxley, the Carrows, even Pettigrew is cowering behind a pillar. Bellatrix is simpering, sucking up, as usual. It's sickening really. Lucius is also avoiding eye contact, especially with Greyback who is sitting opposite him. I don't need to turn to Draco, because I know that he will be sitting with a stoic expression on his pale face. I can feel my hands trembling, and tell myself it is because of the cold, even though a fire is roaring in the fireplace. The house always seems to get darker and colder whenever he's around. There is a cup full of wine sitting on the table in front of me, which I don't drink because I'm only sixteen, and even though by Wizarding law, I will soon be of age, I prefer to wait until I am eighteen. I guess it's my muggle background. Not that he would approve. No one here would, not even Severus.

I am astutely aware that I am the only Gryffindor in the room, and that fact alone pleases me; I have more than enough courage to deal with this. He is still eating, which always seems to amaze me. I never thought he would eat or drink, and the first time I saw him do so, I nearly burst out laughing. The only thing that stopped me was the knowledge of what he might do.

He would hurt even me.

I desperately wish for my friends to be here, but they are, for all intents and purposes supposed to be my enemies. Plus, with the amount of lies I have told them, they aren't likely to want to trust me if they find out why I'm here.

But, I can handle this. I am strong. It is in my blood after all.

No, I am not a Malfoy. I guess you could say I am a honourary one, seeing as Narcissa and Lucius are technically my guardians. I have spent the past four years living in this house, with the very people I had grown to detest. But, despite their… appearances… they aren't bad people. Narcissa and Lucius are terrified of my father, and will do anything to please him. Call me naïve, but if they can look after someone who is practically a stranger and welcome them into their family, they aren't bad people. They were just caught up in a bad situation and have had to act their way through it. Just like I'm doing.

Unlike _some _people, Lucius and Narcissa don't seem to enjoy all the killing.

Plus, the Malfoys are better than my actual family. Okay, my parent.

And that parent is sat at the head of the table, his authority overwhelming those present.

Many people would be shocked to know that Lord Voldemort himself has a child. Downright disgusted even. Of course, it is quite hard to believe; how could someone like that ever care for someone so much as to go as far as to have a child with them?

His daughter sits with a troubled expression, her bright amber eyes clearly showing her inner turmoil, chewing her lips thoughtfully as she stares at the table. Part of her wants to burst into laughter at the sheer awkward silence that fills the room, whilst the other part of her wants to burst into tears with all the stress she has been put through. Her name is Artemis Alexandria Riddle. She is me.

Ever since that fateful day, after emerging from the Chamber of Secrets, when my world was shattered by Dumbledore telling me my heritage, I had been troubled. And when my father appeared, in the flesh, in that graveyard, things had only got worse. I knew which side I was on; that had been decided the day I met a scruffy eleven year old orphan with shocking green eyes, the messiest hair ever seen and a red lightning bolt scar. I had decided my loyalties when he became like a brother to me. But to let my father know that, I would be endangering my life.

And so, when I arrived at Grimmauld Place, I had decided to become a triple agent if you will, like Severus. Mad-Eye agreed, but only because Severus had said he would take care of me.

"Artie?" I hear a voice say, and feel a hard elbow nudge me. I look up to see my father glancing questioningly at me. Damn. He had asked me something, and me in all of my daydreaming, had not heard him.

"I'm sorry; could you repeat the question Father?" I ask, blushing slightly. I turn to Draco and give him a grateful look, with which he nods slightly in reply. Yes, I know.

"I said, my dear, that perhaps it is time to assign you and Draco your duties for next year," Voldemort states coolly. Instead of looking him in the eye, I glance at his glass of wine; convinced it is full of blood. I wouldn't put it past him to be honest.

"Duties, Father?" I inquire, raising an eyebrow. Inside I'm panicking; what would these duties entail exactly?

"Yes. I have decided that you are both ready to be given more responsibility."

Responsibility?

Now that _is _news. Why would he want to give me responsibility when he does everything in his power to keep me 'safe'? Including keeping me in the dark about all of his plans and barely letting me leave the house whenever he is around. Now that is infuriating, especially for someone who hates being cooped up.

Something fishy is going on.

"You and Draco are to become fully initiated."

…and there it is.

Wait…what?!

Initiated?

…No. He can't mean?

Shit. He does.

I'm going to become a Death Eater.

I bite down hard on my lip to stop myself from screaming obscenities at the snake headed freak.

God, what will the Order think? What will _Harry _think? But no, Harry won't know, just like he doesn't know that I live here. Because he is safer if he doesn't know. Because, if he does know, he will truly think that I am just like _him. _

If I do become a… Death Eater (god, how pathetic am I?), I guess it will be easier to get information. I knew perfectly well that there was no getting out of this the moment I spoke to Mad Eye and told him my plan. After all, numerous people had begged me not to go through with it, including Mad Eye himself. And Severus. But I knew that I would have to convince my father that I was on his side, and if becoming a Death Eater is the way to do that, then I guess I have no choice.

Plus, if I say no, I am in a room full of Death Eaters who would just love to be allowed to kill me. I can practically see Greyback licking his lips.

There really is no other option. If I don't do it, I will have blown my cover and to an extent, Severus'. If I do it, I will just be working myself into a deeper hole than I am already in, and to be honest, that seems the lesser of two evils.

"When, My Lord?" Bellatrix pipes up.

Voldemort smiles and I feel my skin crawl in response. "There is no time like the present."

I dart my eyes to Draco, who is looking ashen. I'm pretty sure I look quite similar.

Now? He wants to do it now?

"My Lord, surely we should do it another time. Let them prepare themselves?" Lucius pleads. I know he doesn't want this; he doesn't want his son to end up like him, even though he would be loath to admit it. And I know that he doesn't want this for me either. He wouldn't like to admit that even less, especially to the rest of the Death Eaters. And my father. After all; you annoy Voldemort, you are subjected to the Cruciatus curse. Or worse.

"Nonsense Lucius. Now is as good a time as any."

And that is that. We all know that what Lord Voldemort says is final. End of. Finite.

I feel eyes bore into the side of my head, and turn to see Snape looking at me. Over the years, I have learnt to read the Potions master's expressions well, especially after he became my friend and mentor (much to Harry's chagrin), and I know exactly what he is telling me.

Don't worry. Go through with it. I will help you.

I nod imperceptibly, knowing that he understands that I will do as he says. I trust Severus, and I know that he will come through for me. Even though I detested him throughout first year, I came to trust him after I was placed at Malfoy Manor, and I always noticed that he would not be as hard on me as he was the rest of the Gryffindors. Especially Harry. In fact, he treated me better than he would a Slytherin. The fact that Potions was my best subject probably helped too.

I only hope that Severus can explain this one to the Order…

"Artemis? Draco? Please join me over here if you will."

I look away from Severus to see that my father has departed from the table and is now standing in front of the large fireplace in the middle of the large dining room. Noticing now that the table has disappeared, I glance around at the other Death Eaters; at Bellatrix, Nott, Fenrir Greyback, the Carrows, Dolohov, Yaxley and various others, praying that I won't end up as cold blooded as them, let alone my father. I feel Draco grab my hand and I squeeze it. At least I won't have to do this alone. Draco will be there, through it all. I know it sounds selfish, but I am grateful that he is going through it with me.

Together, we walk towards Voldemort, our hands still entwined, all eyes on us. My heart is in my mouth and beating so loudly that I am surprised Nagini cannot hear it. Speaking of the snake, she is now sitting coiled loosely around my father's neck. Sometimes, I think that that snake is the only thing he cares about. That is, if he was capable of feeling.

When we reach him, we stop, and look expectantly at him. In response, he looks around at all of his followers, even taking in Wormtail who is cowering in the doorway, his silver hand glowing feebly. I feel no remorse for that man, after betraying Harry's parents like he did. But then, I think of how Harry would feel if he knew what was going on now, and how willingly I was allowing it to happen, and my stomach clenches with guilt. However, it has to be done, for the cause. But then again, isn't that what Wormtail might have thought when he was betraying his best friends? Like I was doing now?

I gulp, but am distracted from my guilt ridden thoughts by my father speaking.

"Roll up your left sleeves if you will." Then he turns to everyone else as Draco and I do as he instructed, me rolling up the sleeve of my black robe. Everyone wore black here; it was sort of tradition.

"I summoned you here today to initiate my daughter, Artemis Alexandria Riddle and Draco Malfoy into our midst. From here on out, they will be considered as one of our own, and a part of our army with which we will defeat Potter."

A few cheers fill the air, mainly coming from Bellatrix. I grimace as my father turns back to us. He pulls out his wand and points it at us. Then he starts chanting in Latin.

"Permitte mihi virga contra hostes sibi dari facultatem. Sit ostendere adhortabantur. Obscurum Marcus signum dari possunt ab hac die uictoriam."

I feel the skin on left arm tingle, and then suddenly it feels as though a thousand red hot needles are pricking my skin. It is all I can do to not cry out in pain.

"Reliquum sanguinem eorum patimur committere."

I risk a glance at Draco, and see that we are surrounded by a circle of light, not too bright as to blind anyone, but instead a pale gold colour. Suddenly, the prickling on my arm is gone but is replaced by a stabbing pain in my finger. I look down to see a drop of crimson blood appear on the surface of my skin, and watch in horror as it rises from my finger and floats through the air towards my father. He is still chanting, but now a feral grin appears on his face. I gape at him in disbelief. No one else seems fazed and I realise that this has happened numerous times before. A drop of blood that can only be Draco's floats through the air alongside mine and I watch as Nagini slithers forwards and captures the blood in her mouth. I can almost see a grin identical to my father's appearing on her face. It makes my head spin.

The sharp pain is back on my arm, and I glance down, almost afraid at what I will see. I have every right to be.

Spreading the length of my arm is the horrifying skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. The Dark Mark. That is when I realise that Voldemort has stopped chanting, and all eyes are on me. But I don't care.

Because that is when my world is lost to darkness as I collapse on the cold, stony floor.


End file.
